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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26389117">The R.E.M. Cycle</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Serena/pseuds/Serena'>Serena</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Skip Beat!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Complete, F/M, One Shot</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 09:35:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,683</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26389117</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Serena/pseuds/Serena</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Set between Chapters 249 and 257. After President Lory showed Ren a picture of Kyoko and Sho kissing, he can't get it out of his mind.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Mogami Kyoko/Tsuruga Ren</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The R.E.M. Cycle</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello! I’m currently obsessed with the song Criminal by Taemin and it is this particular song that inspired me to write this little story. I highly recommend that you listen to the song before or while reading this story so you get the vibe that I’m trying to convey. I’ve also included the lyrics of the song at the end of the story. Please enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The strobe lights were pulsing to the beat of the music and the floor was throbbing with the energy of the dancers.</p><p>Cain scowled at the smells of sweat, cigarette smoke and pot that engulfed the air. The club was full and although he was tall, he wouldn’t be able to find his target quickly with this many bodies obstructing his view. His vision was hazy and his strides into the room kept being hindered by oblivious partyers.</p><p>
  <em>Where was she? Why was she here?</em>
</p><p>Cain couldn’t remember why Setsu was here in this club instead of with him, but he felt an urgent need to find her as fast as possible.</p><p>A flash of pink seized his attention and he turned to the left, trying to catch sight of her. A quick glimpse of flowing blond hair and a dancing slender body, then he lost her again. A fleeting thought that it was unfamiliar to see her dancing entered his mind before it disappeared. Cain marched in the direction he spotted her and entered a dark hallway; the music was more muffled in this area of the club but he could still feel the heavy vibrations of the bass through the walls. Through the hushed conversations of trysting couples, Cain thought he heard Setsu’s rare chuckle. Setsu didn’t laugh often…</p><p>
  <em>Who was she with?</em>
</p><p>Cain rounded the corner and felt his breath catch. Setsu was leaning against the wall, languid and relaxed. She was looking up at a man, her mouth turned up in a smirk that showed she was having fun. Cain couldn’t focus on the man’s face, he felt unsteady all the while his body was frozen in place. Setsu’s hands were laced behind the guy’s neck, then her left travelled down his chest. She grasped his shirt roughly and pulled him down towards her. Their lips met, and Cain could feel his heart wrenching in his ribcage.</p><p>
  <em>This is wrong, Sets- no! Kyoko would never …</em>
</p><p>Right, he wasn’t Cain, he was Ren and Setsu was Kyoko. How could he forget that? Emboldened, Ren strode forward and shoved the man away. He caught her delicate wrist in his hand, “Setsu, what are you doing here?” He turned to glare at the man only to find him gone. <em>Good riddance!</em></p><p>“Nii-san!” Setsu hummed and snuggled into him, “I missed you!”</p><p>Ren was stunned, “If you missed me, what were you doing with that man?”</p><p>“Were you jealous? He was nobody, just practice…” Setsu grinned and looked up at him from within his embrace. “You’re the only one for me, Nii-san!”</p><p>Ren felt his resolve weaken, but no, he had to get her out of here and have a serious conversation with her. No matter how realistically Kyoko wanted to act Setsu, there was no need to take it this far.</p><p>“Let’s go!” Ren slid his fingers from her wrist to hold her hand and turned to leave the club.</p><p>“Wait Nii-san!” Setsu stopped him, and walked to the end of the hallway and pressed a button on the wall. The wall broke open to reveal a sleek hidden elevator. “This way is faster,” she whispered.</p><p><em>Was this club part of the hotel facilities? Why couldn’t he remember? </em>Ren shook his head to clear his clouded mind. He felt Setsu’s fingers squeezing his and looked down at her. The hazy lighting of the elevator made her look ethereal.</p><p>“Nii-san, are you alright?” she asked. Setsu stared up at him then slinked closer to his body.</p><p>Ren backed up unsteadily against the wall of the elevator. “I don’t know” he murmured, “I still can’t believe you kissed him, and I feel so confused…”</p><p>Setsu let go of his hand and gently put hers on his shoulder. “I think you’ll feel better if you sit down,” she purred and pushed him down. Ren felt himself falling down, before realizing that he was sitting on the armchair of their hotel room. <em>When did they get here?</em></p><p>Setsu was leaning over him and gazing at him. Her hand went to caress his hair and Ren could feel himself relaxing back into the chair. He closed his eyes as her hand stroked down to his cheek.</p><p>“Kyoko…” He heard himself sigh. Ren opened his eyes and found her, Kyoko, not Setsu. She was smiling at him.</p><p>Kyoko righted herself and started to walk away. Ren tried to get up and follow her when he realized he couldn’t. He looked down and found his hands chained to the armchair.</p><p>“What?” Ren looked back at Kyoko, except she was Setsu again. Setsu tilted her head to the side and bit her lips.</p><p>“As expected, Nii-san looks so good tied up.” She grinned.</p><p>“Setsu -no Kyoko, I don’t mind playing this game with you later, but we need to have a serious conversation right now.” He demanded “release me.”</p><p>Setsu pouted, "Are you sure? Should I go find someone else to play with?" Ren furrowed his brows. "Let's see," she tapped her lips with her finger and continued, "maybe someone who's blond and fancies himself a rocker?" She smirked. </p><p>Ren felt his breath catch. "Kyoko!" He strained against the ties locking him in place.</p><p>"What is it, Tsuruga-san?" The long blond hair was gone, Kyoko stood in front of him again.</p><p>"Do you have something to ask me?" She walked back towards him and crouched down by his feet. "For example, about this picture?" She held the photo up and Ren fought to keep his eyes on her. He refused to see the contents of that photo ever again.</p><p>"Where did you that? Did the President give it to you? You should be more aware of your surroundings; paparazzi can follow you everywhere." He stated.</p><p>"Is that what you want to talk about, Tsuruga-san?" She asked, "Don't you want to know if I've met him again? If I've kissed hi-"</p><p>"No!" He interrupted her, "As your senpai I'm just …concerned about your image as an actress …" He trailed off and looked down.</p><p>“Really?” Kyoko put her hands on his knees and rose up from her position slowly. She invaded his space, forcing him to lean back against the chair. Ren swallowed the lump in his throat heavily when he felt her straddling his legs. He was still tied in place, but he wouldn’t have known where to put his hands even if he could move them.</p><p>Ren could feel her breath gliding against the skin of his neck. Her lips were brushing the top of his ears when she spoke. “That’s right, you’re nothing but my senpai.”</p><p>Ren stayed silent and frozen. The opposing sensations of her body on top of his and her words rebuking him confused him but held in thrall.</p><p>Kyoko rose up on her knees and slinked a hand to the back of his head. Ren gasped when she gripped his hair and jerked his head back. “Look at me!” She ordered.</p><p>Ren looked into her eyes; he’d never imagined that Kyoko had this side to her. She smiled brightly, “Are you going to carry on being tormented like this? Will you let me?”</p><p>“You can do anything you want” he whispered, “as long as it’s with me.”</p><p>“You’re finally being honest.” Kyoko beamed, then let him go and stood up. “But isn’t it too late?”</p><p>Ren flinched. He saw her turn away from him and start to leave. He was still locked in place.</p><p>He had to stop her before she left him. Ren heaved himself up with all his might, and felt himself pitching to his left. Ren opened his eyes wide and found himself sprawled off the bed. He took a second to recognize his bedroom, the tangled sheets around his waist, the alarm clock showing that it was four in the morning. Ren picked himself up and collapsed back down on the bed. He covered his eyes with his arm and took deep breaths.</p><p><em>A dream or a nightmare? </em>He thought. He hoped it wouldn’t be indicative to the kind of day he’d have later. In any case, he wouldn’t be getting any more sleep.</p><p>
  <strong>Lyrics to Criminal by Taemin</strong>
  <strong><br/>
</strong>
  <em>I know well that you’re bad for me<br/>
Your eyes and the way you move<br/>
I try to get away from you<br/>
But being brainwashed, all I can do is nod<br/>
<br/>
I don’t hate how your words make my<br/>
Feet entangled and dance<br/>
Cause I don’t want to deny the truth that it was<br/>
Destined to be you from the beginning<br/>
<br/>
So elegant, a criminal who hurts me<br/>
It’s okay, you soothe me just to torture me again<br/>
Ooh I’m on a leash called you<br/>
It’s painful as much as I can’t breathe but also magnificent<br/>
<br/>
So elegant, a criminal who destroys me<br/>
Not okay, I try and shake my head<br/>
Ooh but I’m only getting draggеd in more deeply<br/>
The moment I fall for you, is thе end of my innocence<br/>
<br/>
The syndrome called you<br/>
You lure me in and shake me<br/>
Behind your childlike innocent face<br/>
A frightening side of you, gives me goose bumps</em>
</p><p>
  <em>My heart with an open wound<br/>
Is already full of your fingerprints<br/>
My hands holding yours that stabbed me<br/>
Are not clean either<br/>
<br/>
So elegant, a criminal who hurts me<br/>
It’s okay, you soothe me just to torture me again<br/>
Ooh I’m on a leash called you<br/>
It’s painful as much as I can’t breathe but also magnificent<br/>
<br/>
So elegant, a criminal who destroys me<br/>
Not okay, I try and shake my head<br/>
Ooh but I’m only getting dragged in more deeply<br/>
The moment I fall for you, is the end of my innocence<br/>
<br/>
Destroy me more<br/>
<br/>
So elegant, a criminal who hurts me<br/>
It’s okay, you soothe me just to torture me again<br/>
Ooh I’m on a leash called you<br/>
It’s painful as much as I can’t breathe but also magnificent</em>
</p><p>
  <em>So elegant, a criminal who destroys me<br/>
Not okay, I try and shake my head<br/>
Ooh but I’m only getting dragged in more deeply<br/>
I don’t want to get away, destroy me completely</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hope you enjoyed it! This is essentially a nightmare Ren has after seeing the picture of Kyoko and Sho’s “kiss”. I like to think he had a restless night before chapter 257, which causes him to be careless and fall for Kana’s trick.<br/>I had a lot of fun writing it and I hope you do give the song a listen and a watch. I love it, the mood it sets and the feelings it gives. It is a Korean song, but please make sure to give it a try for the superb dancing if nothing else. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFQL7BS6lrs&amp;ab_channel=SMTOWN</p></blockquote></div></div>
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